NONExe2x80x94No Federal Sponsorship
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I. Field of the Invention
The present Invention relates to improvements to the grapple bucket of a tractor, such as a Bobcat(trademark) or Caterpillar(trademark), or the like, which allows the bucket to be used for all types of earth moving, cutting, demolition, and similar activities. In the instant Invention, sturdy metal dozer plates are secured by welding to the grapple forks of the Bucket. In an alternate embodiment side plates are bolted to the bucket to increase the Bucket capacity.
II. Description of the Related Art
Conventional optional equipment for tractors such as the Bobcat(trademark) or Caterpiller(trademark) include a series of buckets and blades which require considerable expense for the option and labor cost and time to convert from one option (bucket) to another (dozer blade). Considerable expense is incurred to transport a series of bulky buckets and blades to a job site. Options which are disclosed in the prior art include:
(a) U.S. Pat. No. 6,126,216 (issued Oct. 3, 2000 to Tollefson) attaches two (2) buckets to hydraulic grapple assemblies which would normally be used to lift logs. The buckets allow the unit to pick up and transfer bulk material. This unit would be able to clear ground of bulk material, but it would not be able to do the many operations of the present Invention such as demolition, scraping, digging, and the like.
(b) U.S. Pat. No. 6,024,160 (issued Jun. 13, 2000 to Brunbaugh, et al.) which describes the combination of a several spaced hydraulically operated grapple arms which operate to draw articles into a bucket. This Invention does teach the dozer or scraper blade of the present Invention.
(c) U.S. Pat. No. 5,918,389 (issued Jul. 6, 1999 to Hall) which describes a scraper blade attached to the teeth of the bucket of a backhoe or like earth working machine. The blade in this Invention allows a hydraulically operated bucket to scrape the ground back toward the tractor.
(d) U.S. Pat. No. 5,123,185 (issued Jun. 23, 1992 to Pollard) which describes a jaw bridge that works in combination with a tractor bucket to allow the tractor to grasp bulky objects.
The present Invention provides improvements in grapple bucket design which make the bucket and tractor more versatile, able to perform functions that normally require at least several different options such as a dozer blade, grapple bucket, and scoop bucket.
The general purpose of the present Invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new and improved bucket grapple or grapple bucket for a tractor which increases the versatility of a tractor. A grapple bucket is task limited due to its design. The forks have very small surface which limits use of that option (grapple bucket) to the loading of objects that can be grasped.
More specifically the Demo-Dozer attachments to the standard grapple bucket change the bucket to a versatile option that can perform a great variety of tasks that were not possible with the grapple bucket alone. In the preferred embodiment of this Invention the tractor is equipped with a bucket which has two (2) hydraulically operated twin fork grapples. The grapples work independently. Without the attachments of the present Invention, the bucket cannot act as a dozer or demolition tool.
The Demo-Dozer attachments are comprised of a rectangular, resilient, steel plate and angle iron which is backed by a separate rectangular steel plate which extends the full length of the angle iron. Separate Demo-Dozer attachments are secured to each pair of grapple forks. In the preferred embodiment, the Demo-Dozer attachments are secured to the grapple fork by welding, however, other equivalent means for securing the Demo-Dozer attachments are considered appropriate. As designed, the angle iron portion of each Demo-Dozer attachment unit extends beyond the grapple forks by about 6 inches to create hooking implements. This feature allows the operator to hook and pull objects.
In operation the Demo-Dozer performs like the fingertips of a hand closing allowing the operator to pick up very small objects individually or in large groups. With the Demo-Dozer attachments, the tractor operator can grab a section of fence and lift it out of the ground in one motion, fence posts, concrete anchors, and all. With the Demo-Dozer attachments, the tractor and modified bucket grapple can efficiently break up and remove concrete and asphalt. The modified bucket grapple works well as a bulldozer and scraper to level the ground, to push dirt for backfilling holes, trenches or to push dirt into piles. The extended angle iron of the attachments can hook and uproot trees or shrubs and hook and pull down structures.
There has thus been outlined rather broadly the important features of the present Invention in order that the more detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood and in order that the present contributions may be better appreciated. There are, of course, additional features of the Invention that will be described hereafter plus other embodiments all of which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the concept upon which this disclosure is based may readily be utilized as a basis for carrying out the several purposes of the present Invention. It is important, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent construction so far as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present Invention.
As such it is an object to provide attachments to a grapple bucket or bucket grapple which improve the versatility of the bucket to allow bulldozing, scraping, demolition, and scooping and lifting loose objects.
It is another object of the present Invention to increase the versatility of a grapple bucket or bucket grapple such that the single unit can do the work of multiple buckets or blade attachments.
It is another object of the present Invention to increase the versatility of a grapple bucket or bucket grapple such that the single unit can do the work of multiple bucket or blade attachments.
It is a still further object of the present Invention to reduce the cost of use of a tractor by reducing the number of blade or bucket attachments it must use and reducing the downtime and labor costs to change such attachments.
These together with other objects of the Invention along with features of novelty which characterize the Invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the Invention, its operative advantages, and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings, and descriptive matter in which there is illustrated preferred embodiments of the Invention.